I write this in the restaurant area of the guest house, looking across at my room with a strange feeling because someone else is now staying in it. I don't know how the staff here managed to do it but I have had to vacate and go and stay at the guest house over the road because they somehow double-booked it. Apparently I can move back here tomorrow but I'll have a different room; it has been a pain because these couple of days have been very busy and having to pack and unpack my bags again is a hassle I could've done without. But that's the way it goes sometimes and you just have to roll with it.
However, days like today remind me of how important it is to take notice when God is tapping you on the shoulder and reminding you that it is time to take a step in a different direction of your journey. That's what it felt like for me over the months preceding the trip out here: despite the pull of a comfort zone of sorts, He was clear about what I had to do and circumstantially everything was pointing towards coming out here. Today has been part of what all this is about, in allowing God to use me just as I am and although I didn't realise it at the time (as it is all part of a normal day) it has dawned on me that I am bang in the middle of where He wants me to be and what He wants me to do.
This morning I was so humbled by the Vietnamese youngsters in the morning class. They are really coming along well with their alphabet, numbers and basic vocabulary although it is a bit repetitive teaching 2-3 classes pretty much the same thing. We start and end the classes with a short prayer and then out they all troop, one by one saying “goodbye teacher!” and “see you tomorrow!” But what really got me today was that as they were walking out, a couple of them grabbed my hand and kissed it. It was one of those life moments that I'll never forget, such a simple but heartfelt gesture of appreciation. I know I've said this before but it is an honour playing a part in their education.
After teaching the kids, I have a short break then I have one-to-one tutoring with Wing who is the Vietnamese teacher at the school. She speaks broken English but with time and encouragement, she is actually a lot better than she gives herself credit for. Today she shared how God has answered her prayer that she would be able to study English with a foreigner as she had been unable to afford to go to an international school back in Vietnam. She said that it can be frustrating for her because they sometimes have mission teams from Canada, the USA and Europe visiting and she is unable to answer their questions and share the kids' stories but now she says that she is happy that she'll be able to communicate well with them.
It has been a bit problematic getting to the church for the evening class; the church has a couple of tuk-tuk drivers but they're not always available and as it would take about an hour to cycle there, one of the students has been kindly picking me up on her motorbike on her way there. Well, when she arrives, she gets off the bike and says: “teacher, you ride!” so I move my small backpack round to the front and climb onto the bike while she sits side-saddle on the back, which is a normal way for a woman to ride pillion in Asia.
Admittedly I didn't have a helmet and neither did she but I was wearing a straw hat which I may as well have exchanged for a paper bag, the use it would have been in the event of an accident. So off we went and were just chatting as we rode along when suddenly she shouts: “Teacher, STOP, POLICE!”
And there they were, the boys in brown, parked up on their motorbikes on the roadside, gesturing for us to pull over. So we pulled in; I got off the bike and started talking to them in my smattering of Khmer but I soon ran out of steam as I didn't understand a word he was saying in response to me. At least he hadn't been drinking (well, I don't think so). Anyway, my faithful student spoke to him and it transpired that she was breaking the law for not wearing a helmet and would have to pay a 'fine' so she handed him some cash and we were then allowed on our way. Oddly enough, he didn't have any problem with me so evidently it must be OK to wear a straw hat whilst riding a motorcycle over here. The fine? Oh, it was about 50p.
I taught the lesson which was mainly a Bible study on 1 Peter 3:4 which went well and they grasped the idea of inner beauty taking precedence over outer appearance. It did rain though, then the mozzies came out in force plus the neighbours were still noisily renovating their property which made speaking and listening difficult.
At the end of the lesson, Pastor Timothy arrived and he gave me the temporary use of a motorbike (and helmet) on which to get to and from the church so I now have motorised transport which is appreciated. It is an older machine and I feel a bit like Coco the Clown riding it as it has a comedy horn on it and when I press the various switches I expect it to squirt water in my eyes or something.
Nevertheless, I am very grateful.
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